Pocket flash light



July l2, 1 932. F. RAUCH 1,366,600

POCKET FLASH LIGHT l Filed Feb. i9. Y1931 BYL. AURNEY wma. zum.

Patented July 1,2, 1932 PATENT oFFlcE -rnnrx neuen, or BROOKLYN, NEWvom:

POCKET FLASH LIGHT .Application led February 19, 1981. Serial No.516,914.

This invention relates to improvements in electric lamps and moreparticularly to portable types using primary batteries to produce alighting current.

Such lamps have a wide field of usefulness,

particularly in cases where the light is required'only at intervals,briefly flashed and under ready control.

The majority of lamps of this class prem sent certain objectionablefeatures, such for instance as their generally cylindrical sha e-with orwithout a Vbulbous headren ering them inconvenient to be carried in thepocket.`

The usual type of slidable switch control for the light is oftenundesirable, being prone to inadvertent movement in handling andtherefore wasteful of energy.

Having these matters in mind it is an object of the present invention toprovide a lamp of the flash light type of such thin flat shape as to beconveniently carried in a pocket without causing an objectional bulgingappearance.

A further feature is in the provision'of a simple, direct linger pressedcontact switch to control the lamp circuit by a moderate pressure andwhich upon cessation of pressure breaks the circuit. Y

Another purpose is to produce a fiash light of unusual simplicity andpaucity of parts,

pleasing appearance, and capable-of being manufactured at a minimum ofcost.

. These advantageous objects are attained by the novel design,construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown inthe annexed drawing, constituting an important portion of thisdisclosure, and in whichz- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of anembodiment of the invention illustrating the manner in which it is used.Y

Figure 2 is a longitudinal'sectional view of the preferred type of lampswitch.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Y Figure 4 is another loIi` 'tudinal sectional view showing a modifiedorm of switch. Figure 5 is a plan view of the same. Figure 6 is asimilar sectional view showing a different form of lamp switch. f

Figure 7 is a plan view thereof.

Stated in general terms the device consists of a thin flat casing shapedto be comfortabl held in the'hand or disposed in even a sma pocket, thecasing being of metal or non 55 metallic material, as celluloid or anyof the phenolic condensate products, either molded or die formed topresent two interengaging portions.

One of these portions is adapted to rew ceive a unit composed of one ormore battery cells and the other to engage a socket carrying a smalllconventional incandescent v light bulb, one of its terminals beingdisposed in direct contact with one of the poles as ofthe batter theother terminal being bare and expose to contact by a depressible switchnormally held in an inoperative p0- sition, invisible from the exteriorof the casing.

Re erring in greater detail to thedrawing, a die formed or molded hollowbody, generally designated by the numeral 10, is

1 shaped to receive a unit 11 composed of one,

two, three or more batteries arranged in series, the same restingagainst the integral bottom of the body, their upper portion -reachingoutwardly beyond the edge ofthe bodyv element, this edge being insetcircumjacently, ras vat 12, to receive the close-fitting so edge 13 ofthe upper or cover element 14.

This cover 111 is formed to present a raised circular mouth 15 and aconvexly curved outer surface 16 which blends into the side wallsgracefully.

Set rigidly into the open end of the mouth l 15 is a conducting sleeve17 contracted to constitute a socket 18 at its inner portion, thesocketbeing screw threaded to engage the correspondingly threaded lu 19 of anin 90 candescent lamp bulb 20 w icv extends into the sleeve to beefliciently guarded by it.

At the tip of the plug 19 is one of the lamp terminals 21, while theplug body is grounded in the socket 18, acting as the other terminal. y

A spring contact 22 xed on the battery unit, serves to retain thebatteries firmly in the casing and also to conduct current to the Theother pole of the batteries is engaged b a. spring arm 23, see Figure 2,disposed c osel ad]acent the inner' surface o iiexib e element 16 sothat upon applying pressure at approximately the point 24., the

Anner, recend of the arm 23 will make contact with the socket 18,thereby causing a circuit from the batteries through the lamp,-thecircuit becomin broken upon releasing the pressure, as y vremoving theiin er from the osition seen in Figure l.

n this type ci) lamp it will be understood that the casing cover wail ismoderately resilient and yielding readilyv to pressure; ii a lessresilient casing be preferred the device shown in Figures 4 and 5 may beused the same consisting of a spring arm 23 in which is set a button 26extending outwardly through an opening 27 in the element .i6 convenientiof access, the action or the contacts being the seme.

in the rncdiiication shown in Figures 6 and 7, a spring arm 23 may bedepressed by e button 28 carried by a seperate dat spring 29 heldby erivet to the under side o the cover element 18, theburtton extendingoutwardly through an opening Si therein.

From the foregoing it will be seen that e thin :dat lamp has beendisclosed, easily operated by one of the fingers oi the hand-holding thecasing, that the non-metallic casing isessentially waterproof and thatthe bulb is protector. from accidental injury edsctivl.

' ile 'certain preferred embodiments of this device have been shown anddescribed, ift will be understood that changes in the orm detailsthereof may be mede without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined in the eppended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed es new and desiredto secure by Letters Petent, is

1. A pocket electric lamp comprising e thin dat dielectric casing havingparallel side walls and rounded slde'edges and composed o two sections,respectively upper and lower connected midway the length of the casing,said upper section presenting a raised circular neck blending into oneof the rounded side edge walls, the remaining portion of the upper wallof said section being reduced in height to present a finger receivingsurface below the plane of the top of said neck, a

lamp b ulb in said upper section projecting into said neck, said ulbhaving a conductthe ezt-rangements, proportions, sizes and the uppersection of said casing to'defiect seid sprin and cause' .Contact of saldconducto wit the base of said lamp.

2. f thin iat ldielectric casing having parallel side walls and roundedside edges and com- 4posed of two sections respectively upper and owerconnected mi way the length of tbe' casing, said upper sectionpresenting a raised circular neck blending into one of the rounded sideedge walk, the remaining por Ytion of the upper wall of said sectionbeing reduced in height to present a finger receivin surface below theplane of the top of said neclr, a lampbulb in said upper sectionprojecting into said neck, said bulb lie-ving a conducting bese end uterminal insulated therefrom, a buttery in the lower section, anelectrical connection between said terminal end one of the poles of seidbattery, a conductor from the other cle of the battery its end extendingnormal y adjacent seid base, seid conductor being resilient, and a pushbutton movable through the top wall of the upper section operative tocause contact o seid conductor with the base terminsi of said lare p lntestimony whereor'I sr niv signature.

FRANK l; UGH.

cket electriolamp comprising 'a ing base and a terminal insulatedtherefrom,

a battery in the lower section, an electrical connection between saidterminal and one of normally adjacent said base, a spring xe in theupper section of said casing to extend over sald conductor, and meansVmovable through the wall of the reduced portion of

